This invention relates to an improved machine and method for manufacturing round meatballs. Meatballs are used abundantly in most restaurants serving Italian style foods. Typically these meatballs are made by hand by employees of the restaurant owner. This hand method usually involves grasping a small pre-weighed amount of ground beef between the chef's cupped hands and then squeezing and simultaneously rolling the meat into a somewhat spherical ball.
The manual method, however, has some serious problems both in the product itself and in the manner the balls are made. For example, in the manner of making the meatballs, one problem is that the chef's times is consumed in the menial task of making meatballs. Also, in restaurants having a significant volume of customers, another problem is that the chef may not be able to make a sufficient number of meatballs to serve all of the orders. Another problem with manually making meatballs is sanitation. It is easy to contaminate the meatball.
The more serious problems involve the product itself. For example, the manual method results in a product which is only as good, round, firm and capable of absorbing an adequate amount of sauce, as the chef who makes it--regardless of the ingredients. Consequently, a wide variety of meatballs are encountered. Also the same chef may make some good meatballs and upon tiring make meatballs of significantly poorer quality. The most common problem encountered are uneven or non-spherical balls. Another problem is that if the desired degree of compaction is not achieved then the meatballs may split or fall apart when placed in the sauce.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for manufacturing meatballs;
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for making spherical meatballs with the proper compaction;
It is a further object of this invention, independent from the foregoing objects, to provide an improved apparatus for making meatballs quickly and without manual contact with the meatballs;
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for manufacturing meatballs which are properly compacted, which are spherical and which are not contacted by man during the manufacturing process;
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method for making meatballs.
Other related and further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the specifications, claims and accompanying drawings.